


unrestricted, the flowers doth bloom

by Perpetuality



Category: MapleStory
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, M/M, Not Beta Read, Old Writing, Pre-Slash, evan is 18 by the end, implied background phanlumi, phantom briefly appears in one scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-06
Updated: 2016-03-06
Packaged: 2020-04-23 18:21:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19156432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Perpetuality/pseuds/Perpetuality
Summary: evan and eclipse: two different individuals instated on two different sideswho knew that they would be connected in a manner least expected?based off a flower bracelets soulmate au seen on tumblr





	unrestricted, the flowers doth bloom

**Author's Note:**

> uploaded 06/09/19
> 
> this was written in 03/06/2016 in response to a drabble request sent by my friend, back when i ran an evan rp blog on tumblr. it hasn't been edited since, so i apologise in advance for any errors. the only change that has been made is the addition of a title and summary
> 
> cross-posted to ao3 for archival purposes

**“Sometimes the thing that brings us together also pulls us apart. Sort of like a zipper.”**  


**― Jarod Kintz, _This Book Title is Invisible_**

He awoke to the sun partially bearing down past the canopies, its brilliant ray of light momentarily blinding his vision and obscuring his sight. Blinking away the dots that resiliently remained, the freed prisoner pushed himself away from the single ray of light that shone down on him, staggering to his feet, and breathed for the very first time. His lungs swelled with the briskness of the morning air before he coughed slightly, smoke biting at his airway. Carmine hues scanned with disdain the landscape of his surroundings as their owner waved away the incessant billows that continued to move his way.

Grassy plains and the remains of a wooden house were all that his eyes could see, but he knew that there was much more beyond this small clearing. Even within the confines of his jail cell could Eclipse see the futility in Luminous’s desperation of regaining a semblance of control, to keep the incoming danger laying latent underneath his sudden migraine far away as possible from the one he cared for the most. Unfortunately for him, the curse simpered as a smirk steadily continued to grow, the light user was no more successful at keeping his tormentor at bay than he was at retaining his self-control.

Just as Eclipse awoke to the light, so too had Luminous fell victim to the darkness. The irony was just utterly _laughable_.

Flexing his hands, he experimentally called forth the powers of darkness. His shadow tempestuously rippled as it eagerly responded, coalescing into a lithe form before the umbra slipped away, leaving in its wake an intricately designed rod topped at both ends by circles of gold. Though it visually shared the same semblance as Luminous’s signature weapon, the one quality that distinguished Eclipse’s own tool of the trade from his unwilling host’s was the dulling of the metals comprising the weapon. It was just another small feature that set him apart from that nuisance.

Satisfied that the darkness responded so eagerly to his call, he closed his fingers around the shaft of his dulled rod, only to subtly jerk when he felt prickling at his left wrist. Sure that the glowworm had not hurt himself before he lost control, Eclipse carefully scrunched down the leathers of his left glove, lowing the dulled rod as he did so. What he certainly did not expect to see was the presence of a thorny bracelet circling his wrist. Dark green vines weaved and intertwined around each other as they encircled and dug their thorns into his wrist, ending in a small, closed bud. He would have ripped the object off had a memory not arose to the forefront of his mind.

Eclipse recalled a day when that girl the light user resided with approached to enquire about the bracelet wrapped around her wrist. At that point, the curse was brimming with envy and enmity to both Luminous and that Lania girl and was beginning to plot against the container he was confined in. He could have broke free that day; the aloof and utterly boring member of Aurora had been far too relaxed and wholly unsuspecting. Though the opportunity was apparent, Eclipse held himself back in favour of hearing what it was that the firefly wanted to say.

Luminous explained to Lania that the bracelet was meant to open only when an individual met his or her soul mate. Given that hers was still closed, that meant that she had yet to meet her own. Lania then noted how the light user’s own bracelet had opened and promptly asked who it was, to which he evaded and deemed unimportant. Even now, Eclipse knew not who Luminous’s flower opened to, the discarded light adamant in remaining silent. Though the curse was mildly curious, knowing very well the benefits that could come about from this, he could honestly care less. Soul mates? Who needed that? What mattered to him the most was the taste of sweet freedom still filling his lungs, which continued to swell and recede with the passing of air. He was alive; he was free to be. Neither his creator nor his original jailer could keep him at bay any longer.

But, that did not seem to stop him from pushing down his right glove, which hid Luminous’s own flower bracelet. The petals closed into a bud before the accessory shriveled entirely, wilting in place the entire structure blackened and seemingly a touch away from dissolving entirely. Seeing no further reason to continue observing, Eclipse readjusted his glove and was about to repeat the action with the left one, only to pause, his hand hovering over his left wrist. His own flower, which had yet to bloom, seemed to silently mock him as he stared down. Even someone like himself, who came into being via an unconventional way, who acted solely on jealousy, anger, and hatred, had a ‘soul mate’ out there. Scoffing at the notion, he pulled his glove back over his left wrist and subsequently over the bracelet, ignoring the thorns digging further into his flesh.

Maybe there was someone out there, but nothing good would come from meeting them. If this symbol of their existence already caused the personified curse pain, small as it may be, then things would only proceed to exacerbate when the flower finally bloomed. Forget about this; forget about it all. Focus on this new life he had seized for himself! That was that mattered.

And without another glance, Eclipse briskly strode away from the flaming wreckage of Lania’s house, the shredded cape flapping in the winds of Ellinia’s forest as he took his first steps and lived.

* * *

As much as he loved his family, Evan found that he simply could not understand them most of the time. They were an odd bunch, but this was a notion that he had only recently discovered. Perhaps it had to do with how sheltered and isolated they were compared to the other ‘normal’ inhabitants of Henesys and Victoria Island in general. Regardless of the reason, the mage could not deny that his family had impacted his own growth as well.

He too had been rather naïve and innocent, unaware and unknowing of the complexities life held. Even now, traveling on his own with Mir, Evan found himself still constantly learning about how to live, and what exactly the future had in store for him. Joining the Empress’s alliance had been a major checkpoint in his career as a hero thus far, but it had also been an eye-opener.

The mage had noticed around everyone’s wrist a flower bracelet. Some individuals’ plants had blossomed, while some hadn’t. Curious as to why that was, figuring that it was possibly a trend of which he was unaware, Evan stopped one of the members to enquire about their flower. He was met with a small bout of laughter.

 _‘Oh, this? Everyone has one,’_ the bishop soon replied after calming down; _‘You should know of this by now, right? You look pretty young but you’re old enough to know about these things. They open when you meet your soul mate. I didn’t meet mine yet, but it will happen eventually, I just know it!’_

Embarrassed, Evan responded with a nervous laugh and a stutter, subconsciously rubbing his right wrist hidden completely by his red glove. Thank the deities that his wrist had been covered; he did not want to face the to-be-expected inquiry that would be directed his way had that bishop seen what was there. He had a seed there, but it had not budded into the bracelets everyone else wore. Even when the Henesys resident was still at the farm, things had been this way. His parents simply shrugged whenever Evan asked, and all Utah did was poke fun at the inactive seed.

If Evan didn’t out of place before when the Empress first held the Alliance meeting, he most certainly did then, standing before the bishop kind enough to answer him. And though he never said anything then, the brunet admittedly hated being so…different. Mir seemed to understand enough, but the onyx dragon never had to worry about flower bracelets and soul mates.

But now, things have changed, starting with when the seed abruptly germinated and grew. Leaning against Mir’s side, Evan raised his ungloved hand to the sky and peered at the stem wrapped around his right wrist, furrowing his eyebrows together in confusion. Why had the seed suddenly sprung to life, despite having remained inactive for these many years? The conclusion the brunet had immediately leaped to was that his soul mate had just been born. Thinking about made him feel nauseous, so Evan immediately dismissed the notion; there had to be some other explanation for this. But he was still secretly relieved (and admittedly hopeful, even) to know that he wouldn’t have to live the remainder of his life without the existence of his soul mate.

Mir had also been rather delighted when he heard the news, though it was more because his Master did not seem as pensive as he usually did. The reptilian creature never really did understand the significance of soul mates and the bracelets, but since Evan was happy, the onyx dragon would be as well. And if finding out who his Master’s soul mate was would further increase his levity, then the onyx dragon would help him as much as he could!

Lowering his wrist back onto his lap, Evan allowed his head to fall back against his dragon’s side. His eyelids began to slide shut as sleep overtook the young mage’s form, but before he could fully succumb to his exhaustion, the brunet silently decided to resume exploring the Maple World again. Mostly, it would be to offer a hand to those in need, but it would also be to search for the one his bracelet would open up to. Surely that wasn’t a selfish decision, right?

* * *

Evan wasn’t sure how he ended up like this, his wand pressed against the metallic sheathe of the other’s weapon. Sparks flew in the air when he pressed more of his weight against his weapon, ignoring the crowd beginning to form around the two clashing individuals. Azure met carmine as the former’s visionaries narrowed with anger and disbelief. “Why?” Evan hissed, attempting to push forward; “Out of all people, why did it have to be you?”

Had he been blinded by his idealism and youthful hope once again? There had been a moment when his bracelet receded to its initial stage, and he had panicked. But after some time passed, the bracelet had germinated once more, and his heart lifted itself. Evan had been so afraid, so terrified, that his soul mate had wound up perishing, but that was clearly not to be. He had been looking so forward to finally meeting them, the one he was compatible with.

But now that the day had arrived, the brunet realised that he had been wrong about everything. Granted, the one his flower had opened to was alive and not dead, but the identity was something that left Evan did not want to accept, did not want to believe.

It left a bitter feeling in his mouth.

“Do you truly believe that I hold the answer?” Eclipse sniffed in irritation, his ocular flame blazing as it responded to his riled up emotions. Shadows tempestuously swam circled across the length of his dulled rod as he sneered to the impertinent brat. “I am no more happy than you are!” 

The brunet’s lips curled into a furious snarl at the indirect jibe. As he prepared to return the retort with a scathing reply, a sudden movement prompted his gaze to snap to the side. Immediately, Evan pushed himself back and knocked Eclipse off balance, just as a wheel off flames shot through the spot their weapons were locked at mere moments prior. He felt just a bit bad for the observers, who had to dive out of the way when Mir’s aimed Flame Wheel whizzed by them, but he was more concerned about the clearly dark mage standing before him. How could he be compatible to someone like him?

This was impossible. This _had_ to be some sick joke.

Mir charged forward, halting his flight when he was directly at the human’s side. Baring his fangs at his Master’s apparent enemy, the dragon bristled and prepared to unleash another attack. Truth be told, he did not know what prompted his usually reserved master to react in such a manner, but it was likely justified! _Danger!_ , his instincts screamed, and Mir could not help but to agree. The dark energy that practically oozed from the other man was already worrying enough; the onyx dragon could barely hold himself back from physically lunging forward and attacking. But he decided to await Evan's next command, knowing that their strength would not be at its max potential if the two were not acting as one.

The brunet gnashed his teeth together in frustration, before he clicked his tongue against his teeth in distaste, snapping his coat in time with the breeze. “Mir, we’re leaving,” he declared, swiping his arm back with a twirl of his wand, slamming it back into the holster at his waist.

The dragon stared at Evan in surprise before he quickly overcame it, understanding the latent command hidden in the mage’s voice. Mir allowed magic to coalesce at his eyes and when he blinked, his mana transported them from the centre of town to the gates that marked the place’s boundaries. As his Master pivoted on his feet and strode past the metallic gates, stepping onto the clouds of the floating fairy town to walk away, the majestic beast made haste to follow.

Eclipse darkly scowled as he pushed himself back onto his feet, sending a hostile glare to the remaining individuals who stayed to watch. As they scampered off, intimidated by the look sent their way, the personified curse began to stride toward his intended destination before he was interrupted by that impertinent dragonmaster. His first impression of the other had already not been great, but with the conflict that started, his opinions of the other worsened.

Given that that was the case, why did he suddenly feel off after the brat and dragon’s departure? Better yet, why did he let them go? Eclipse would never allow an enemy to escape, especially if they were the ones to engage in battle first. He could pin the blame on the irritating glowworm, who had jolted in the recesses of their mindscape upon seeing that boy, but the dark mage knew that this time, surprisingly enough, Sunfire was not the cause of this recently made decision. Instead, visionaries of red redirected their gaze to the culprit.

Stopping just at the entrance to Orbis Tower, Eclipse practically seemed to melt into the umbra cast by the eroding walls. Yanking down his glove, he directed a piercing glare towards the bloomed bracelet. Of all flowers to bloom, the curse had expected something more symbolic of himself: hemlock, belladonna, or even lily of the valley. But no, what the bud had blossomed into was a blue rose. That colour was unnatural in the nature of a rose!

 _‘As were your existence and comings into power,’_ the light mage coldly added, falling into a stubborn silence when Eclipse responded with an irked mental jab. His mood foul as a result from these sudden developments, he strengthened the binds of the Aurora scholar’s confines to remind Luminous of his current place. With his mental fixing complete, he then focused on cleaning up superficially. But as even that action drew to a finish, and as the ravenet began his descent down the stone tower, the prickling of the vines felt worse than ever.

And though he had been alone during his moments of control, Eclipse never realised just how numb he felt until after the encounter ended and with it, its brief company.

In the opposite direction, the soul-linked duo continued their trek away from the floating town, half of which currently undergoing the same revelations. “Master?” Mir tentatively ventured as he watched the human leap over a few clouds, climb up a long stretch of rope, and enter the colored gardens. “Are you alright?”

“Not in the slightest,” Evan grumbled in response, journeying deeper into the garden. His walk only finished when he ducked behind a topped pillar, treading carefully into the monster-free area. From his many journeys through Orbis, the young hero knew that Eliza slept in this protected area; this place was the second safest area aside from the fairy town itself. The duo would be unthreatened here.

Heavily sitting down on the cobblestoned ledges with a sigh, he pulled his glove off of his right hand, revealing the shining spirit pact as well as a new change: his bracelet had bloomed into a small, white rose. Though its petals had been confined in swathes of red and black fabric, they remained unsullied and uncrushed. It was a beautiful plant that released a fragrant aroma, reminding Evan of the flowers his ma often admired. But here, wrapped around its wrist, the white rose seemed to almost mock him for the situation’s irony.

Evan grimaced in response, entertaining the idea of attempting to cut the bracelet. Stems were fragile and easily plucked by human hands; it would not take much to slice through it with something like his wand. But if these bracelets had been on every individual since birth, what repercussions would occur if these flowers were destroyed, either intentionally or not? The dragonmaster did not want to think of such a disastrous attempt and immediately halted that train of thought. 

“Oh Master, your flower bloomed!” Mir exclaimed, pulling the human out of his thoughts. He curiously peered down at the plant, alighting on the ground beside Evan. “Who was it?”

“I don’t know,” Evan lied with a shrug, praying to the deities that his fibbing would work for once; “there were too many people at Orbis for me to tell.” 

“That’s too bad, Master.” The mage nearly sighed in relief at his partner’s response, though he did have to wonder if the onyx dragon knew and was playing along or if he was genuinely clueless. “I was hoping that you got to finally learn who it was. Was that why you were so frustrated? Aside from that creepy person, anyway.”

“Hah, I guess you can say that,” Evan snickered. Giving the white rose one final glance, the former farmer then resolutely hid it away by putting his glove back on, moving to rise to his feet. Even if he couldn’t cut the bracelet, which definitely had to have opened by mistake, there was nothing that said that one had to pursue their soul mate after discovering who that individual was. It was better to play it safe and if it meant no longer seeing that other mage, then so be it.

Besides, things would be better if they don’t meet again.

* * *

_Things really would have been better if they hadn’t met again,_ Evan sullenly thought to himself, recalling the one thought he had months prior. He shot a short glare to his current source of irritation, brusquely brushing his gloved hands over his new robes as he tried to remove the dust from his robes. With his recent transition to a more independent stance came a change in his wardrobe as well. He was still the current dragonmaster and the successor to Freud but he looked far too much like the scholarly magician to be able to properly stand out and just be himself; therefore, the former farmer had custom ordered a new outfit when he accumulated enough funds.

He knew they were bound to be dirtied eventually but Evan hadn’t anticipated for that to happen in a scenario like this. The self-taught magician had heard reports of strange activities occurring in Orbis Tower, which prompted him and Mir to set off and investigate. Climbing down its ancient expanse then led to an unexpected reencounter between the soul-bound partners and the mysterious dark mage, which immediately set Evan and Mir on the defensive. But unlike before, the now strawberry blond did not leap forward and aggressively engage the other.

 _“What are you doing here?”_ he had demanded, eyes narrowing in suspicion as his entire posture stiffened. _“Are you the one behind the abnormal energy readings?”_

The man had scoffed then, his lips curling into that sanctimonious smirk Evan utterly detested. _“What would you do if I were? Would you swing that stick of yours once again?”_ Eclipse jeered.

Thinking back to their conversation made Evan bristle in place, even though their verbal confrontation had long ended. This man…he was just so infuriating, it was unbearable! But Evan tried to swallow his distaste, knowing that just this once he would have to be civil to the ravenet. Right now, it was live or die—though he feared that the latter would soon happen if they didn’t do anything soon.

Before the already tense atmosphere could deescalate further, the tower had violently began to shake, throwing the two humans off balance. What’s worse was the cracks that began to form on the ground before it caved in entirely—and Evan had been the unlucky one to start falling first. Mir had strafed away from his Master to avoid falling debris and was, as a result, too far to catch Evan. But before he fell out of reach from the edge, a hand had grabbed his wrist, halting the movements. Pain shot up his arm from the whiplash before azure hues snapped up in shock.

_“What are you doing? Let go!”_

_“Would you be silent for once?”_ the other snapped in response, reaching his other hand down to try and pull the late adolescent back up.

Evan opened his mouth in preparation to hurl to Eclipse an equally heated response when another violent explosion shook the area. The ravenet had lost his balance again before he pitched forward also, sending the two mages through the crumbled floor. They probably fell through an entire level at the very least, the former farmer suspected, before he fell first on a heap of crumbled plaster and marble. The impact had knocked the air out of him but before he could regain his composure, the other mage fell right on top.

Lucky sod! Evan never received thanks for unwittingly helping to break the other’s fall.

Clouds of dust followed after the two’s fall before the hole in the ceiling closed up, sealing away their escape. Fearful of what happened to his partner, Evan was about to sit up and call for Mir when he heard the dragon’s voice.

 _“I’m alright, Master! I flew out of the tower because there were too many falling rocks. I can’t find any windows near your area, so I’ll go get some help! Hold on!”_ was the last thing the young hero had heard from his partner before he felt Mir’s presence zip away from the tower. Mir loathed the idea of leaving the human alone with an enemy, but Evan was in danger!

Freud’s successor saw no reason to call Mir back, too winded from the fall to even react properly. The other had pushed himself away after the fall, dusting his own robes, and Evan was about to follow suit when the pain returned to his arm. Suspecting that he may have pulled his arm from the whiplash, the late adolescent simply sat himself up, trying not to jar his already injured arm. Just great; it was his predominant limb, too.

Evan had no idea how much time passed since that fall, but it felt like hours with the lack of natural light. Suddenly realising that his glare had remained directed to the dark mage’s back, the strawberry blonde gradually softened his expression. “…why did you help me? You could have just left me for dead.”

Eclipse did not respond, giving no indication that he had even heard Evan speak. Instead, he used his dulled rod to sweep it over the pile of debris that was located right beside where the duo had fallen, testing its stability. Immediately, he retracted his weapon once the rubble groaned underneath the weight, releasing a small torrent of pebbles and dust. Withholding a grimace, the curse backtracked, turning to finally address the other. “Why I chose to is unimportant,” he tersely responded, his ocular flame providing a source of light in the caved area. “We have more pressing matters to tend to.”

He refused to admit that his reaction had been partially due to impulse. He would also never admit that his thoughts had returned for to the bracelet that brought him so much pain. It was true; Eclipse could have certainly left the brat for dead and saved himself, but he had hesitated. And that split second made all of the difference.

Evan averted his gaze then, staring at the still slightly kindled rubble. The smoke it emitted burned at his throat and caused his eyes to water, forcing him to push himself away from the smouldering wreckage. “Are we…we’re not going to die here, are we?” A faint tinge of hysteria leaked into his voice as the gravity of the situation sank in. Who was going to tell his parents that he died when the Tower exploded? They didn’t even believe him when he said that he was going to fight a war! Would they simply just believe that he was busy running off with his friends in Henesys?

He jolted out of his thoughts and returned to orbs of a bright red glaring directly at him. Startled by the proximity, Evan yelped and fell over backwards, creating distance between the two.

“Pull yourself together!” Eclipse snapped, irritated—and perhaps a tint amused. “Are you not a part of that frail excuse of an Empress’s Alliance? I thought you were not one to give up so easily. What a shame.” There was no way that he would allow himself to perish in this wreckage, considering how much he struggled to regain control of this fragile body. He would be damned to lose it to natural means!

“…I’m _trying_ to be nice, but you’re making it very difficult,” Evan hissed, his calmer expression shifting back to a sharp stare. Releasing a loud sigh, he sat up after a moment of effort. “No, I don’t plan to die here, but what exactly can we do right now? Waltzing out of here is clearly out of the question.”

“Are you brainless as well?” the curse flatly drawled; “Do you not recall how we arrived here? Unless that fall damaged your memory as well as your arm.”

“Do you have nothing better to do but to taunt me?” Evan snapped, eyes narrowing dangerously. His pride was damaged enough as it was by the fact that the other had noticed him favouring his other arm, but these jibes were making him run out of patience. “Of course I remember how we wound up here! We fell through the ground after it caved in—wait.” A heavy pause filled the area before he hesitantly began once more. “Do you intend to—”

“Leave in the same manner? Yes. As you have already stated, brat, we cannot just ‘waltz out of here,’ unless you possess the ability to pass through stone.”

“It’s Evan,” the blond shortly cut in. “Not brat or any other demeaning word you have in your vocabulary, but Evan.”

Eclipse blinked, taken aback before he smirked, openly bemused. “Very well then, _brat,_ ” he acceded, “prove to me that you are worthy enough for me to continue referring you by name.”

Surprised visionaries of blue turned to stare. “You…” Evan struggled to speak before he huffed, resignedly sighing. “Fine, I can do that. At least tell me what I should call you.”

“If you prove that you are worthy enough,” the curse repeated, his smirk widening when the dragonmaster put his head into his hand. “Now, let us begin! We’ve wasted enough time as is.”

“Still insufferable,” Evan mumbled to himself, rising to his feet after a bit of effort. Cautiously eyeing the other, he stepped just a bit closer. “How do you intend to clear a path without making this level cave in as well?”

“I was testing the stability while you were busy glaring.” Evan winced at that, a sheepish look falling over his face at the other’s words. “The majority of this level is precariously fragile, but there exists one area that is far sturdier than the rest.”

“Then we just have to focus our efforts there,” Evan continued, easily slipping in as he watched the other’s dull rod move with the curse’s words. The weapon tapped against the ground before the younger of the two pursed his lips, feeling a surge of self-doubt begin to well up. “…actually, this will be the first time I have to cast a spell on my own.”

Carmine hues flickered to the other speaker before Eclipse impatiently tapped against the ground. “Do not tell me that you are beginning to hesitate now,” he tsked with a sneer.

“Alright, fine! Maybe I’ll admit that I’m being hesitant!” the late adolescent snapped; “Maybe I just happen to be afraid of the prospect that I’ll make a mistake again! But this time, there will be no way to fix things if that winds up happening. I’ve been holding myself back for so long in fear of messing things up again. I just…”

He found his words dying in his throat when he felt the edge of the other’s weapon lift his chin. Evan warily eyed the metals composing the weapon before his gaze flickered up to the other’s carefully neutral expression. “Your frustrations are currently misdirected. Remember what we now must do and channel those emotions there.”

Evan blinked in surprise before he stepped back from the weapon, which soon fell back to the floor. Was this meant to be the other’s way of boosting his morale? No, that was likely a stretch, but it still felt a bit…freeing to hear that. He shut his eyes, deeply inhaling before he opened them once more. “Alright. I can do that.”

He pulled out his wand using his other arm, considering the options he had available at the given moment. Circle of Earth would cause too much damage to the already weakened construct, and Circle of Thunder and Wind would do absolutely no help in this instance. This left only Circle of Mana, his most basic attack. Surely it would do enough damage to cave in the floor without causing any additional damage.

He fingered the shaft of his weapon, calling his mana to begin to gather at his wand. Though Evan’s concentration was currently focused on producing his spell, he noticed out of the corner of his eyes the gathering of shadows spiraling up the length of the other’s weapon. So the ravenet did use dark magic! But he would think more about this later; the spell was almost done charging.

Carmine soon met azure before parting, both parties having caught onto the unstated signal.

“Circle of Mana!”

“Abyssal Drop!”

Lights of cerulean combined with pellets of pure darkness, slamming forcefully into the ground. Initially, nothing happened, and Evan began to fear that their spells had not been enough. But then the cracks began to form, and then the whole floor caved in, dropping the two down. This time, both magic-users were ready, and nimbly found their footing on a nearby ledge at the next floor below. Evan held his breath, unable to believe that he had managed to cooperate and not mess up for once, before a wide smile broke out over his lips. He had actually done it! He had actually—

“Master!” A blur shot into Evan, knocking him off-kilter with a loud ‘oomph!’ The dragon had returned with who appeared to be an old man, who sagely looked to the two humans before he set off to climb the tower and investigate the damage. “I brought this kind sir with me to try and help, but it looks like you’re alright!”

“Not anymore,” he wheezed; “please warn me before you tackle me next time, Mir?”

“Sorry Master, I was just worried for you."

“I know, Mir I don’t blame you for that.” Evan gave his partner a one-armed hug before he paused, giving Eclipse a long glance. It appeared that the other may never refer to the former farmer by his given name, and though the strawberry blond had anticipated this, why did he feel so…disappointed? Withholding a sigh, he prepared to leave with Mir when the other spoke.

“Wait.”

Evan stopped walking as Mir warningly growled. “What do you want now?” the dragon demanded, his tone steely. Eclipse maliciously jeered in response to the other’s tense retort.

“You have no relation to my business.” His gaze then shifted back towards Evan. “If you would be so kind as to call your dragon back, I’ll not waste your time any longer.” he began, venom dripping from his voice, “I have one last thing to do before I take my leave.”

Evan’s gaze flickered toward Mir before he nodded slightly. The dragon appeared reluctant before he complied, backing away to give the two humans a bit more space. With that done, Eclipse beckoned the younger male to come closer; while Evan had been busy speaking with Mir, Luminous had drawn away Eclipse’s attention. He had been quietly observing from the sidelines before he offered to heal the boy, claiming that it was the least he could do. Only after the curse ensured that there were no deficits in his defenses did he agree to the idea.

His ocular flame receded as light began to gather in once place, as opposed to his signature darkness. “Healing light!” With the spoken words, a white cross took formation from the coalesced light, which showered a gentle beam of white over the injury. The pain, much to Evan’s surprise, vanished.

“You…you healed me.”

“So I did.” He made no motion to correct the dragonmaster. “Consider it as thanks for breaking my fall.” Eclipse then walked forward as his flame surged back to life, passing by the extremely embarrassed Alliance member. “I go by the name of Eclipse,” the personified curse muttered; “Remember this for the next time we meet…Evan.” He then began to descend the tower, taking his leave.

Stunned, Evan turned around to watch him go before he stared at his healed arm, turning it over to open and close his hand before he lowered the limb to his side. Then, he raised his other hand, his gaze zeroing in on the hidden bracelet nestled comfortably underneath his leather glove. A faint smile formed on his lips as he cast his gaze to the window and the skies beyond, paying no heed to the confused onyx dragon.

“Perhaps I was wrong about you. But, you’re still utterly insufferable, Eclipse.”

* * *

“Y’know, soul mates don’t have to be romantically inclined.”

He quirked his eyebrow, though the other would be unable to witness it, and walked forward to stand at the first speaker’s side. The dark mage had been summoned here by a hastily-written message penned by the other. Though Eclipse had no obligations to show up, he decided to humour the sender and appear. “Are you insinuating something?”

“I don’t know,” Evan admitted at his seat, pulling up a leg from over the cliff’s edge. He would have been more surprised by the other’s change in attire had he not been more retrospective over his words. “There’s something between us, that’s for sure, but I’m not sure if it’s platonic or something more.”

Eclipse said nothing then, opting to drift his gaze towards the sunset. The clouds seemed to cast a bright orange shadow in the sky, a sharp contrast to the usual grey hues often seen from Perion. He could understand Evan’s confusion; even the personified curse himself was unsure.

“Still-” Carmine hues flickered back towards the speaker. “-we can still make this work. Things like these...they’re complicated. But in due time, something will come of it and elucidate things.

“Well, that is,” Evan then mumbled, feeling his self-confidence recede, “if you’re up for giving this a try.”

The dark mage scoffed, his ocular flame flickering as if to reflect his disbelief. Briskly striding forward, Eclipse took a seat at the cliff edge beside the current dragonmaster. “If I were averse to the idea, I would have long left.”

The strawberry blonde stared at Eclipse in unveiled surprise before his expression softened, a smile beginning to creep up on his visage. Evan reached out his gloved hands to brush them against those of the other, gently rolling up Eclipse’s left glove to reveal a reddened wrist and its bracelet. Gingerly, he brushed a finger over the thorny vines, pulling them away from the agitated flesh. “Then…can we give this a try?” His voice sounded wistful. _Hopeful_.

A thin line creased itself in the middle of the other male’s forehead, a subtle curling down at the corner of his lips the only indication that the motion hurt. However, Eclipse mirrored Evan’s actions with the other’s hidden bracelet. The freed white rose seemed to smile up and beckon to him, prompting him to crookedly smile with bemusement, the crease subtly softening. He gently brushed an outer petal with his finger. “Are we not already doing that?”

Evan loudly laughed at that, releasing his hold on the thorny vines to brush against the rose’s blue petals. The fact that Eclipse’s vines possessed thorns was unusual enough, but the fact that his flower also possessed a colour not seen in nature topped it—not that the former farmer minded. In fact, it fascinated him and drew him deeper into the mystery of the other. “Fair enough,” he lazily grinned, “fair enough.”

Unnoticed by the duo, a lone figure stood nearby the back of the cliffs. He silently observed the two, the wind picking up to blow at the two long sashes of silk blue that cascaded down from his hat. Raising his left hand, a single card began to hover over the gloved palm, spinning in place before the well-acclaimed thief stopped the movement with his index finger and thumb.

“So that’s what happened?” he murmured to himself; “Now I understand.” He had wondered why his own bracelet had withered again. The first time, he had seen the aftermath with his own eyes why; this time, however, it had occurred without warning. He didn’t want to believe that something had happened to the nerd, considering that he could stand his own ground against the thief, yet…

The sandy blonde quietly exhaled in resignation, adjusting the mask so that it dropped onto the bridge of his nose. It did not take much to deduce what had happened, even if all that he witnessed were bits of the conversation unfolding before him. He released his hold on the card, watching it sail away in the slight breeze. With no further reason to linger, Phantom flicked his cape, sending up a flurry of ascending cards. When the spiral ended, the figure was no longer to be seen.

The only indication that there had been an extra was the lone card that continued to fly in the breeze. Only when the card twirled by the duo was its contents illuminated by the rays of the setting sun. Depicted on the card was a figure with a dog hot on his heels, approaching a cliff. Evan’s attention snapped towards the flying tarot card and his eyes widened in surprise. The strawberry blonde whipped his gaze to the back of the cliffs, searchingly scanning for the card’s owner.

But there was nobody to be seen.

Chewing slightly on his bottom lip, Evan reluctantly shifted his gaze back towards the sunset, disregarding Eclipse’s vaguely curious stare. Should he be feeling this guilty or worried that he had been seen by one of the other heroes? Either way, it was too late to regret anything now. Besides, he was more intrigued by how the two bracelets’ vines seemed to almost intertwine with one another in a tangled mess when they rested atop each other.

Simultaneously, hidden underneath the other’s curious glance was triumphant laughter, for Eclipse had _felt_ Luminous shift when he recognised the card flying by, and it was then that the remaining puzzle pieces fell in place. Who the other’s now-withered bracelet opened up to, why the aloof light user refused to divulge, much less acknowledge, the identity…no wonder the other had taken so many pains to remain silent. With an inward sanctimonious simper, carmine hues allowed themselves to take in the sight of the setting sun, their owner feeling relaxed for the first time since he had taken control.

 _‘I win, Sunfire. I win,’_ Eclipse internally crowed in response to the Aurora scholar’s irate struggles, outwardly allowing Evan to pull him up and lead him away from the rocky mountains of Perion. He knew not of where their next destination was, but he seemed to be content with allowing the younger mage to do the talking and decision making for the time being. After all, what he knew of the current dragonmaster thus far was that one could never expect what’s to come next.

And for perhaps the first time throughout Eclipse’s victory, he found that he could look forward to that.

**“Sometimes, reaching out and taking someone's hand is the beginning of a journey. At other times, it is allowing another to take yours.”**  


**― Vera Nazarian, _The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration_**

**Author's Note:**

> the tumblr post where i saw the flower bracelets soulmate au can be found [here](https://auseverywhere.tumblr.com/post/137103032119/hello-im-terribly-sorry-to-bother-you-but-i-was)


End file.
